1001 Brilliant Writing Ideas - ChercheInfo

1001 Brilliant Writing Ideas

How often do you hear your pupils cry ‘what can I write about?’1001 Brilliant Writing Ideas offers teachers endless ideas and inventive

suggestions, opening up new opportunities for creative writing lessons. Withover a thousand different ‘story-starters’ across a vast range of genres andnarrative styles, this versatile book provides food for thought for pupils of awide range of ages and abilities.

This highly practical and richly illustrated photocopiable resource:

• addresses the ‘blank mind’ problem, offering pupils a plethora of story-writing ideas and suggestions;

• enables teachers to inspire pupils who struggle with creative writing;• provides prompts to set ideas into motion, whilst leaving plenty of scope

for original and creative thought;• challenges pupils, encouraging them to use higher-level thinking skills;• offers mix-and-match stimulus pieces that can be used independently or

put together to give pupils more or less support as required.

Any teacher whose inventiveness is flagging, and whose pupils are runningout of ideas, will find this an essential classroom resource.

Ron Shaw has many years of classroom experience and is the author of morethan forty books helping primary and secondary school students to improvetheir thinking skills.

1001 Brilliant Writing IdeasTeaching inspirational story-writing for all ages

Ron Shaw

First published 2003 by Curriculum Corporation, AustraliaThis edition published 2008 by Routledge2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canadaby Routledge270 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

© 2008 Ron ShawAll rights reserved. The purchase of this copyright material confersthe right on the purchasing institution to photocopy a maximum of ten per cent of this book. No other part of this publication may bereproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any formor by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recordingor otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication DataA catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication DataShaw, Ron

1001 brilliant writing ideas: teaching inspirational story-writingfor all ages / Ron Shaw.

p. cm.1. English language – Rhetoric – Study and teaching. 2. Creative

writing – Study and teaching. 3. Fiction – Technique. I. Title. II.Title: One thousand one brilliant writing ideas. III. Title: Onethousand and one brilliant writing ideas.

PE1404.S514 2008808.3�1071—dc222007022719

Artwork by Aja Bongiorno

ISBN10: 0–415–44709–7 (pbk)ISBN10: 0–203–93720–1 (ebk)

ISBN13: 978–0–415–44709–6 (pbk)ISBN13: 978–0–203–93720–4 (ebk)

This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2007.“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’scollection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”

ISBN 0-203-93720-1 Master e-book ISBN

Contents

Introduction vii

Pleasurable and Preposterous Plots to Ponder 1Absurdities 6Nature Wild and Wonderful 8Curious Combinations 10Story Starters 12Menagerie Muses 16Adventures in Space 20Charismatic Characters 22Unusual Perspectives 30Fabulous and Fanciful Fashions 32Sinister Scallywags, Vexatious Villains, Rogues and Rascals 34If I Could 36Myriad of Mixes 40Sticky Situations 42Tantalising Titles 44Perky Pets 48Ghostly, Ghoulish and Ghastly 50Sea and Sky 52Delightful and Delicious Delicacies 54World of Wizardry, Wicked Witches and Magic 56Fairies and Fantasies 58Marvellous Music 60Journeys Far and Wide 62Sensational Settings 64Fearless Friends and Formidable Foes 68Sleeping and Dreaming 70Wonderful World of Science 72Myths and Mysteries 74A Final Few 76

Introduction

It was none other than Roald Dahl who proclaimed that writing stories isn’teasy. There are times when ideas won’t come, he said. The mind goes blank.

As teachers we are all familiar with the student who ‘clams up’ in storywriting lessons. If we manage to prise two or three sentences from such achild we are doing well.

This book addresses the ‘blank mind’ dilemma by offering the student aplethora of story-writing ideas and suggestions. Care has been taken toprovide equally for boys and girls, allowing for their different interests.

In many instances the student is given prompts, to set ideas into motion.However, there is still a great deal of scope for original and creative thought.

Included in some of the story-writing tasks are additional instructions.Sometimes these instructions may seem to bear little relevance to the storyitself. This is deliberate and is designed to:

• assist the student by directing thoughts along certain lines;• challenge the student by calling upon higher-level thinking skills,

involving, for example, the matching of a particular character to a givensituation.

The wide variety of themes, together with the range of ideas spread acrossthem, should ensure that all students have plenty to write about.

There is no set way to use this book. One suggestion would be to useSensational Settings in conjunction with Story Starters or some other page.Another idea could be to mix Charismatic Characters with Tantalising Titles.Either way, a delightful combination of the real with the fanciful could result,bringing a sense of achievement and satisfaction to both the writer and you,the teacher.

Happy and fulfilling writing!

PLEASUREABLE ANDPREPOSTEROUS PLOTSTO PONDER 1

Consider the story starters belowand then choose one to write about.

SurvivorYou are drifting at sea on a life raft, the sole survivor of a shipwreck. Stormclouds are gathering. Land is just visible on the misty horizon. Describe youradventure from now until you are rescued.

Oh no!I thought that drink tasted strange. What’s happening to me? Oh no!

Goliath the GorillaGoliath was the biggest, meanest, scariest gorilla of them all. He was afraid ofnothing. Nothing, that is, except . . . mice!

Harry HoughHis nose is long and green. His hair stands up in spikes. Wispy hairs stick outfrom each ear. Enormous bushy eyebrows hang out over droopy eyes. This isHarry Hough, who lives in a hole. Who is Harry, and what is his secret?

Money!It’s relaxing sitting under this tree. I watch as a leaf floats to the ground. Thenanother. And another. But wait . . . they’re not leaves . . . it’s . . . money!

The Haunted HouseI am trapped in a haunted house. There are no lights and it is totally dark. Ireach out but all I feel are cobwebs. Begin by describing your feelings, emotions andthoughts together with any physical symptoms you may be experiencing. Then describewhat you hear, if anything. Lastly, tell all that happens as you manage, eventually, toescape to freedom.

Pleasureable and Preposterous Plots to Ponder 1



Scruffy Sam, Girl in RagsPoor scruffy Sam. She looks so different from the other girls who come toschool in their smart, freshly-ironed school uniforms. No one wants to sitnext to Sam. No one lets her join in games. She gets no invitations to parties.But Sam has a secret. She’s actually rich. Very, very rich. How things changewhen Sam’s secret gets out!

The Mysterious Tola PeopleDeep beneath the sea live the Tola People. No one sees them. No one hearsthem. But when they emerge from the murky depths the Tola People seeeverything, they hear everything and they know everything . . . abouteveryone.

Rainbow of GoldTwo children hiking through the countryside see a magnificent rainbow inthe distance. They make their way towards it, hoping to find the end of it.Eventually they reach the end of the rainbow, and . . . it’s a pot of gold!

The Magic FootballWhen Marty is eleven he helps an old man who has fallen over on thepavement. The old man tells Marty (a football fan) that on his 12th birthdayMarty will receive a special surprise in the post. The day comes and a packagearrives addressed to ‘Marty . . . Football Fan’. Inside is a magnificent goldenfootball which Marty, after hastily gathering some of his friends, takes to thepark to practise his skills. What a ball! When Marty’s boot connects with itthe ball unfailingly travels like a bullet to its target, bending past opponentsat such speed that they are powerless to stop it.

Linda’s Lucky LanternWhen the power goes off at Linda’s house she remembers the lantern that hergreat grandfather used to speak of. It had been gathering dust in the gardenshed for as long as anyone could remember. What Linda didn’t know was thatthis was no ordinary lantern. When she lit the wick something very strangehappened . . .

2 Pleasureable and Preposterous Plots to Ponder

Magical GazeYou wake up one morning and discover you have magical powers. By gazingat something for more than five seconds you can turn it into whatever youwant . . . for an hour. The thought occurs to you that you’ll be able to havesome fun with your friends . . . and your enemies!

Read my MindYou are on your way back to class when you trip over and hit your head.Ouch. Your friend picks you up.‘Are you okay?’‘Fine,’ you reply.‘I didn’t say anything,’ your friend says.Wow. You find you can read people’s thoughts. But is it a good thing?

Tiny FriendsOne quiet night, you are in the garden when you hear voices. You followthem. There are tiny people living here. And they are happy to be your friend.

Chat CatWhat if one day your cat (or dog) opened its mouth and started talking toyou?

Lost in the Village of MirrorsWhen the Wilson children get lost descending Mount Disappointment theyfollow a winding river that leads to a remote village. However, this is noordinary village. The walls of every house and building are mirrors. Within avery short time the Wilsons are lost. Where are the villagers?

What is going on? Is there a way out or is this the beginning of aninescapable nightmare?

Magic CarpetYou’re riding your bike up a steep hill. It’s getting harder and harder andharder to pedal. Suddenly the chain snaps, with a sharp ‘clunk’. Oh, no! Butwait . . . something very strange has happened; miraculously, you’re nowriding on a magic carpet!




Fishy BusinessJames was just about to take the fish off the hook when it spurted out, ‘Eat meat your peril!’

Double TroubleRose and Alex are late for school. As they enter the classroom they see MrPeters sitting at his desk in front of the class. But something must be wrong;everyone is looking at them with puzzled expressions on their faces. As theymake their way to their seats they are astonished to find that their chairs arealready occupied . . . by themselves!

Super BallDanny bounced the ball and gazed in disbelief as it bounced higher andhigher and higher.

The Roller Coaster from HellYou’re on a roller coaster that’s out of control. Everyone is screaming.

Down the VolcanoYou and your friend are exploring the crater of an extinct volcano. You godown and down and down into the crater’s depths. Your friend parts somegiant ferns, peers between them and then shouts, ‘Look at this . . . quickly!’

Pandora’s BoxYour friend Pandora has received a mysterious box for her birthday. She callsyou round to help her open it. What’s inside?

Message in a BottleYou’re walking along the beach when you see a bottle that has just washed uponto the sand. It has a message in it. After carefully deciphering the fadedwriting you decide you’d better act fast. Really fast!

4 Pleasureable and Preposterous Plots to Ponder

Towering InventionYou recently invented a way of getting people out of towering buildings thatare on fire. This is, indeed, an amazing invention. And now’s the time to try itout, for the city’s tallest office block is ablaze!

Sandwiched!You are in a restaurant and you’ve just been served a huge sandwich. As you’reabout to take a bite you hear, ‘Stop, don’t eat me!’

Computer ChaosYou’re playing a computer game when, suddenly, all the characters in thegame come to life and leap out of the screen. Oh dear, how do I stop this?

The most Terrifying TeacherImagine the scariest teacher alive – icy eyes, a booming voice, huge, talks likean encyclopaedia – and he/ she has just taken over your class!

BubblesConsider what might happen if someone invented a bubble blower that pro-duced bubbles that could never burst.Now write a story about it.

Magic MirrorThat new mirror you received as a present is weird. When you look in it, youcan see yourself in the future. What do you see?

My Friend the RobotYou have just received the Person Plus 5000 robot as a present. Now you havea companion. But first you have to train your robot. Describe how.


ABSURDITIES 1

Choose from the titles below andsee if you can come up with a funstory.

The Mouse with Boxing Gloves

The Great Dane that ChirpedLike a Bird

The Camel Fashion Parade

Father Christmas, Winner of theRelay Race

The Bus Driver’s aChimpanzee!

Old Granny Cranston and herAmazing Skateboard Skills

My Cat is Half Dog!

My Teacher is an Alien!

Pigs do fly!

When Time ran Backwards

Additional challenge:Can you give the story a

surprise ending?

6 Absurdities

ABSURDITIES 2

Choose from the titles below andsee if you can come up with a funstory.

The Elephant in the Nappy

Samuel and the Two-Metre Pizza

The Strange Little Man with aPet Pink Alligator

The Badger Band

Living Inside a Fairy Tale

The Meowing Canary

The Singing Snail

The Yacht with theMonkey Crew

Freddie, the Boy who Hoppedand Croaked Like a Frog

Talking Food

Additional challenge:Use some direct speech (dialogue)

in your story.

Absurdities 7

NATURE WILD ANDWONDERFUL 1

Choose one of the naturalfeatures below and write aninteresting fictional story aboutyour experience of it.

A towering, hollow tree

A deep, tranquil lake

An erupting volcano

Crashing waves and a tall cliff

A thundering waterfall

A violent earthquake

A forbidding canyon

A forest full of butterflies

An ancient cave in a remote place

Additional challenge:Write in the first person. Include any two of the following:• one young person apart from yourself• a crippled old man or woman• an animal of your choice• a surprising ending• some description of the scene• a picture of an important sceneMake sure you give your story a suitable title.

8 Nature Wild and Wonderful

NATURE WILD ANDWONDERFUL 2

Two children are walking along a mountain path when a severethunderstorm sets off a fire. As frightened animals run from the firethe children notice an injured rabbit that appears unable to escape theapproaching flames.

Describe how the children rescue the rabbit, get it and themselves tosafety, and soon find a person willing to adopt the rabbit as a pet.

Additional challenges:• Your story should begin just before the thunderstorm strikes.• Mention the names and ages of the children.• Describe what kinds of animals are fleeing the fire.• Use a little direct speech in your story.

OR

Two children are lost in the woods. How will they survive? How willthey find their way home?

Additional challenges:• Can you work two or more friendly animals into the story?• Can you describe how the children ate, drank and slept while they

were lost?

Nature Wild and Wonderful 9

CURIOUSCOMBINATIONS 1

Use the last three digits of yourtelephone number to come up withan entertaining, humorous story.You may, but don’t have to, useyour combination as the title.

e.g. 493: Annabelle’s meeting witha curious giraffe.

Thirdlast digitof mytelephonenumber

Subject Secondlast digitof mytelephonenumber

Verb Last digitof mytelephonenumber

Animal

0 Jeremy’s 0 titanic battle witha huge

0 mouse

1 Penelope’s 1 encounter with aninjured

1 lion cub

2 Tommy Simpson’s 2 taming of a fierce 2 wolf

3 Aunty Tania’s 3 wild ride on a gigantic 3 giraffe

4 Annabelle’s 4 amazing hour witha howling

4 rhinoceros

5 James andDanny’s

5 great adventure witha playful

5 dolphin

6 My cousin Sarah’s 6 wonderful day witha friendly

6 killer whale

7 My 7 terrifying momentwith a

7 seal pup

8 My grandfather’s 8 crazy Sunday feedinga tiny

8 octopus

9 Mrs Abernathy’s 9 meeting with a curious 9 gorilla

10 Curious Combinations

CURIOUSCOMBINATIONS 2

Write a story based on the combination of birthday months particular toyou and your family. You may (but don’t have to) use your combinationas the title.

Additional challenge:• Can you write the story as a cartoon strip with captions?

or• Can you add a fourth item from the combinations table to your story?

Mybirthdaymonth

Whose? My Mum’sbirthdaymonth

Descriptor My Dad’sbirthdaymonth

Inanimateobject

Jan Aunty May’s Jan absolutely huge Jan frisbee

Feb The Benson twins’ Feb magical pink Feb refrigerator

Mar My Mar ugly-looking, useless Mar spoon

Apr Old Mrs Hamilton’s Apr gigantic red Apr letter box

May Uncle Tony’s May broken-down May table lamp

Jun Mr Wilson’s Jun brand new Jun car

Jul Ned the builder’s Jul incredibly cool Jul bicycle

Aug ProfessorPumpernickle’s

Aug unbelievably shabby Aug shoes

Sep The Alien invader’s Sep prize-winning Sep chess set

Oct Jimmy’s Oct mysterious silver Oct watch

Nov Dr Smithers’ Nov unpredictable purple Nov book

Dec Sylvia Morris’s Dec ever-so-tiny Dec computer

Curious Combinations 11

STORY STARTERS 1

Here are the beginnings of somestories. Choose one and finish it.

The huge crocodile opened itsjaws wide . . .

Suddenly, the sky lit up with astrange, white light . . .

The young musician walkednervously on stage . . .

A piercing scream rang out inthe night . . .

A huge black bear lumberedtoward the motorway . . .

I didn’t believe in magicspells, but . . .

Out of the darkness and into thelight of the campfire came . . .

The express train roared intothe night . . .

He limped towards thewaiting train . . .

Additional challenges:• Have two main characters.• You may make your story humorous and/ or dramatic.• Include an animal of your choice in your story.

12 Story Starters

STORY STARTERS 2


As Seeta awoke one morningfrom an uneasy dream she foundherself transformed in her bed

into a gigantic insect.

The tiny boat slowly pulledaway from the shore . . .

Under a blazing hot sun anempty road stretched far into

the distance . . .

The army sergeant roared . . .

Its name was Ludwig.It was huge . . .

There, right in my own backgarden, was . . .

A strange smell came fromthe swamp. Then I heard a

noise . . .

The tornado moved slowlytoward our house.

I felt my body shrinking,shrinking . . .

Additional challenges:• Have two main characters.• You may make your story humorous and/or dramatic.• Include an animal of your choice in your story.

Story Starters 13

STORY STARTERS 3


Under the giant mushroom stooda tiny man . . .

The last bar on the cage gaveway, and the lion . . .

The torch was shining directlyinto my tent . . .

The curtains at the back ofthe dusty window parted

slowly, and . . .

I became more frightened withevery step. . .

We played an odd game in whichyou had to . . .

The ground began to sink down,down, down . . .

All the children in the streetwaited anxiously . . .

The strangest looking dog I’veever seen . . .

Additional challenges:• Have one main character and two supporting characters.• One of the supporting characters is a criminal or an alien.

14 Story Starters

STORY STARTERS 4

Here are the beginnings of some stories. Choose one and finish it.

He’s been missing for more thantwo days . . .

As the band began to play . . .

On the lid of the box was written,‘Open at your own risk’ . . .

‘It’s arrived!’ I screamed.

‘Get me out of here, please!’she screamed.

Gigantic footprints led rightup to the . . .

Under the pillow was anote saying . . .

Treasure!

More than anything in the world,she wanted to . . .

A penknife is the onlyclue to . . .

When I woke up, the wind washowling outside my window . . .

I always knew my dogwas different . . .

Additional challenge:Can you end your story with

one of these ideas?

Story Starters 15

MENAGERIE MUSES 1

Write an entertaining storyfeaturing one of these animalcharacters:

Trevor, the Tormented Turtle

Sasha, the SensationalShow Horse

Polly, Peter the Pirate’sParticularly Pedantic Parrot

Millie, the Magic Monkey

Ollie, the Objectionable,Obnoxious Octopus

Anthony, the AmazingAfrican Ant

Tommy and Tessa, the TwinTabby Cats of Twyford

Daisy, the Devoted Daschund

Josh, the Jealous Jaguar

Additional challenge:• Can you write your story as a play script? OR• Can you write your story as a comic strip, with talking balloons?

16 Menagerie Muses

MENAGERIE MUSES 2

Write an entertaining story featuring one of these animal characters:

Kate, the Regal Red Kite

Maggie, the Magpie who flewto the Moon

Pippa, the Playful Penguin ofPortsmouth

Ella, the Elegant Elephant

Ali, the Weeping Alligator

Gemma, the Lonely Giraffe

Garth, the Gorgeous Gorilla

Will, the Very Wise Whale

Monty, the MagicalMule

Olivia, the Silvery Otter

Emma, the Eagle who EatsEaster Eggs

Additional challenge:• Can you write your story as a play script? OR• Can you write your story as a comic strip, with talking balloons?

Menagerie Muses 17

MENAGERIE MUSES 3

Write an entertaining storyfeaturing one of these animalcharacters:

Fred, the Giant Forest Frog

Tabitha, the Twisty, Tangly,Twitty Tarantula

Bertie, the Bee without a Buzz

Colleen, the Talking Crocodile

Jonaki, the Jubilant Jay

The Beautiful Silver Horse whoSaved Miranda

The Ant that wouldn’t Die

Sidney, the Slimy,Squishy-squashy Squid

Additional challenges:• Add a second character from the list.

OR• Can you write the story in lines that rhyme?

18 Menagerie Muses

MENAGERIE MUSES 4

Write an entertaining story featuring one of these animal characters:

Harry, the Huge Hungry Hippo

Richard, the Raucous Raven

Simon, the Sinister Spider

Holly, the Horse who Hated Hay

Samantha, the SqueamishSalamander

Fritz, the Fierce Fighting Flea

Sean, the Shambling Sheep

Dunbar, the Dim-witted Donkey

Hugh, the Happy Hedgehog

Percy, the Porky Placid Pig

Additional challenges:• Add a second character from the list.

OR• Can you write the story in lines that rhyme?

Menagerie Muses 19

ADVENTURES INSPACE 1

Write a story about one of thefollowing:

Hello out there . . .Two boy geniuses make a telescope that is so powerful that it can clearly seeplanets in hundreds of other solar systems.

Mission to MarsA mission to Mars reveals something on the planet that’s totally unexpected.

Astronaut EmergencyTwo astronauts are on a mission. One gets injured and has to return to Earth.

Fire!A rocket’s booster jets fail to fire properly. The problem is quickly correctedby a girl prodigy at mission control.

Aliens!A team of astronauts encounters an advanced (non-human) civilisation onNeptune.

Mirror WorldsTwo girl geniuses discover that our universe is not the only one.

Additional challenges:• Make yourself one of the characters in the story.• Write in the first person.

20 Adventures in Space

ADVENTURES IN SPACE 2

You are part of a team of astronauts that has been sent to investigate therings of Saturn. The team has to study the rings from very close rangeand, if possible, collect some of the material that makes up the rings.

Write a full account of your mission, from Blast Off to landing backon Earth. Choose from among the following complications to addsuspense to your story:

You lose communicationwith Earth.

A crew member gets seriously ill.

The rockets malfunction, andhave to be fixed with a ‘space

walk’ outside the ship.

You discover a stowaway!

You nearly get hit by ahuge asteroid.

You see something veryfrightening in deep space.

Additional challenges:• Explain what role you have on the team.• Mention the other team members and what jobs they have to do.• Talk about the equipment and instruments you use to retrieve, and

then study, the material.• Make mention of what you see along the way.• Describe Saturn as your ship approaches it.

Adventures in Space 21

CHARISMATICCHARACTERS 1

Write an entertaining story basedon one of the characters below.

Gino the Genie

Deidre the Desert Girl

Betty the Bookworm

Mighty Matilda, the World’sStrongest Girl

Extremely Embarrassing Edwin

Annoying Adam

Invisible Ian

Curious Chloe

Additional challenges:• Devote the first paragraph to a description of your character.• All the characters in your story have names that start with the same

letter (e.g. Betty’s friend might be Caroline Carter or Sylvia Smith).• Invent a surprise ending for your story.

22 Charismatic Characters


Write an entertaining story based on one of the characters below.

Babar, the Baby who Grewand Grew and Grew

Impatient Imogene

Sparkles the Clown

Tommy the Tourist

Mrs Dillsbury, theWild Babysitter

Helga, the Mean andMiserable Stepmother

Miriam, the Marvellous Musicianof Manchester

Marvin theMarvellous Mathematician

Charles, the CheatingChess Player

Wendy the Waterbaby

Additional challenges:• Devote the first paragraph to a description of your character.• All the characters in your story have names that start with the same

letter (e.g. Betty’s friend might be Caroline Carter or Sylvia Smith).• Invent a surprise ending for your story.

Charismatic Characters 23


Write a fun story based on two ofthe characters below.

Rollo, the RidiculousRumbling Robot

Sylvester the Disobedient Soldier

Barbara, the Girl who BlewHuge Bubbles

Naughty Nellie, the MostMischievous Baby in the World

The Terrible Twinsof Twickenham

Craig, the World’sCraziest Clown

Penelope, the Princess whoLoved Pineapples

Victor the Viking

Mia the Mermaid

Tearful Toni

Puzzling Pete



Write a fun story based on two of the characters below.

Fantastic, Fearless Fred

Clumsy Clara

Mysterious Mr MacIntosh

Ace-smashing Anna

Keith, the Kindly King

George, the Gentle Giant ofGerrards Cross

Jodi, the Dolphin Girl

Hamish, the Humble Hero

Sporty Sam

Marvellous Megan

Sarah, the Girl who could Fly

John, the Jungle Boy

Old Mrs Fuss-pot



Write an entertaining story basedon one of the animal charactersbelow.

Dennis, theDaydreaming Dinosaur

Lilly, the Loquacious Locust

Mabel, the Mischievous Mouse

Conan, the Confused Crab

Sylvia Silkworm

Charlie, the Cheeky Chimp

Willow, the Water Rat

Lorian, the Angry Ladybird

Katie, the Kamikaze Koala

Additional challenge:• Devote the first paragraph to a description of your character.



Write an entertaining story based on one of the animal charactersbelow.

Catherine, the Ten MetreLong Caterpillar

Veronica, the Very VainVole

Barry, the Bashful Badger

Arnie, the Adventurous Aardvark

Garry, the Getabout Goose

Hannah, the Hang-glidingHippopotamus

Nichola, the Near-sighted Newt

Percy, the Poetic Pelican

Terry, the Terrified Tortoise

Kevin, the Clever Kangaroo

Elvis, the Excitable Elephant

Additional challenge:• Devote the first paragraph to a description of your character.



Write a fun story based on two ofthe animal characters below.

Ryan, the ReallyNice Rattlesnake

Diana, the Daredevil Dolphin

Maximillian, the Most MiserableMonkey in Mauritius

Briony, the Beautiful Butterfly

Bertie, the Bully Beetle

Peter, the Pesky Python

Anton, the AudaciousAmazon Ape

Barbara the Billygoat

Erin, the EvasiveEider Duck

Bob, the Bumbling Bulldog

Ronald, the Rabid Rat



Write a fun story based on two of the animal characters below.

Sayid the Spider

Steven the Starfish

Lizzie, the Little Lost Lizard

Dudley the Dalmatian

Gracey, theGregarious Grasshopper

Ernie Earthworm

Candice the Crab

Tara, the Tantrum-throwingTiger Cub

Freddy, the FamousFigure-skating Frog

Bumbo Bumblebee

Jerry, the Jealous Jellyfish

Mack, the Mudcrab whoinvented Mud Pies

Sigmond, the Singing Seahorse


UNUSUALPERSPECTIVES 1

A £1 coin falls out of a woman’s handbag and rollsalong the pavement before settling next to a drain. Thewoman goes to pick it up but a young boy gets there first and walksoff quickly with the coin in his hand. The agitated woman follows theboy, protesting that the coin is hers.

Imagine you are the coin. Give a first person account of whathappened and where you end up.

Additional challenges:• Describe the initial scene.• Explain how you came into the woman’s possession.• Discuss what was with you in the woman’s handbag.• Describe how it felt when you hit the pavement.• Mention who you would rather be with, the woman or the boy.

OR

Tell the story in a comic strip, showing every scene. Use bothtalking balloons and captions.

Additional challenge:• End your story as it began.

30 Unusual Perspectives

UNUSUALPERSPECTIVES 2

The IntruderSetting the scene:Seven tiny balls of fluff lay motionless in a basket. A soft, occasional‘miaow’ from the proud mother is all that can be heard. Then, out ofnowhere, an ominous dark shadow looms . . .

Write this story from beginning to end.

Additional instructions:• Write from the point of view of the intruder.• Write in the first person.• Do not include any humans in your story.• Use at least six adjectives (describing words).• Use at least two adverbs to describe your movements (e.g. silently).

OR

Seven tiny balls of fluff lay motionless in a basket. A soft, occasional‘miaow’ from the proud mother is all that can be heard. Then a child’shand reaches into the basket. ‘Hello, Kitty’, it says.

Write what happens next.

Additional instructions:• Invent a dramatic surprise.• Make sure the story ends nicely.

Unusual Perspectives 31

FABULOUS ANDFANCIFUL FASHIONS 1

Write a story with one of the titlesbelow:

My Father’s Embarrassing Tie

Alison’s FluorescentGreen Tracksuit

Rose’s RemarkableGreen Trainers

Susan’s Squeaky Shoes

Tommy and the HugeBlack Sandals

Laura’s Lost Leotards

The Propellor Hat

See-through Shoes

Additional challenges:• Mention where the person got their clothing item.• Describe what happenend:

– did it get stolen?– did it cause a stir?– did it have special powers?– did it annoy anyone?– did everyone want one too?

• Explain what happened to this fanciful fashion item in the end.

32 Fabulous and Fanciful Fashions

FABULOUS ANDFANCIFUL FASHIONS 2

Write a story with one of these titles:

The Hat that was much Too Big

The Missing Purple Sock

The Girl in Silver Overalls

Georgia Gladbury’s Gloves

The Man in the Pink andGreen Suit

Scary Seth and his StuddedMotorcycle Jacket

The Boy with Flying Shoes

The Chameleon Suit (it changescolour wherever you go)

Mrs Periwinkle’s PinkPantaloons

Jeremiah’s New Tie

Additional challenges:• Your story involves a main character and a neighbour.• Include at least two emotion/feeling words (e.g. anger, pleasure).• Have a surprise ending.• Work a proverb or ‘moral’ into the story – preferably to end with.

Fabulous and Fanciful Fashions 33

SINISTER SCALLYWAGS,VEXATIOUS VILLAINS,ROGUES ANDRASCALS 1

Ronnie Rascal, a bank robber who has managed to elude police for tenyears, is finally caught in the act. Describe how Ronnie comes to grief ashe attempts to enter the bank through the roof and accidentally sets offthe alarm.

Additional challenges:• Devote your entire first paragraph to a description of Ronnie Rascal.

A typical sentence could be A long, ugly scar ran from just under hisright eye to his gaunt and whiskery left cheek.OR

• Write a story featuring Ronnie’s mates – all scoundrels. Choose onefrom each list below.

Lawless Laura Peter the Pest Harold the Hacker

Charlie the Cheat Claude the Fraud Light-fingered Luke

Roger the Rogue Stella the Stealer Larry the Liar

Willy the Weasel Phil the Fibber Freddie the Firestarter

Pilfering Penelope Sharon the Shoplifter Henry the Hoaxer

Nancy the Nuisance Percy the Pickpocket Vinnie the Villain

Robber Reggie Julia the Jewel Thief Penny the Purse Pincher

Fighting Frank Jailbird Jack Dynamite Di

Calvin the Con Randal the Vandal Safe-cracking Sam

Syd the Snatcher Violent Violet Cunning Clive

Slimy Cyril Graffiti Graham Filthy Fran

Cathy the Cat Burglar Raiding Rafiq Colin the Counterfeit

Disappearing Dennis Whiskers Wilson Midnight Mary

Carl the Car Thief Window-smashing Will

34 Sinister Scallywags, Vexatious Villains, Rogues and Rascals

SINISTER SCALLYWAGS,VEXATIOUS VILLAINS,ROGUES ANDRASCALS 2

Make up a story featuring any two of the following:

Sly Silverfish, the World’s MostWanted Woman, a perfectionist

at picking people’s pockets

The Marauding Mobof Marylebone

Brutus Baddingham, the BiggestBully in Belgravia

‘Diamonds’ Debbie, theJewel Grabber

Littering Leo, the Lazy Lad ofLlandudno

Tania and Terence, the TerribleTeens of Tipperary

Slimy Seth, the slickest thief indowntown New York

Friday Freda, a felon who fleecesfolk only on Fridays

Theresa, the Train Terroriser

Horrible Hannah the Hellraiser

Ewan the Explosives Expert

ORTwo colourful scallywags of your

own invention

Additional challenge:Create a ‘Wanted’ poster for your two scoundrels.

Sinister Scallywags, Vexatious Villains, Rogues and Rascals 35

IF I COULD 1

Choose one of the following andwrite about a day in your life:

If I could . . .

Pilot a jumbo jet

Write to a person I admire

Have three wishes

Be leader of my country

Swim and breathe underwaterlike a fish

Invent somethingterribly important

Do one thing to benefitour planet

Go back in time

Read others’ minds

See into the future

Travel wherever I wanted to

36 If I Could

IF I COULD 2

Choose one of the following and write about a day in your life:

If I could . . .

Be any age I wanted

Invent a new toy

Be someone else for a day

Be any animal I choose

Run like a cheetah

Buy whatever I wanted

Perform magic

Be a sporting superstar

Spin a web like a spider

Choose my career now

Fly like a bird

Be a famous musician

Become invisible

If I Could 37

IF I COULD 3

Choose one of the following andwrite about a day in your life:

If I could . . .

Be a baby again

Sail around the world

Save any animal from extinction

Make people laugh

Build the world’s biggest kite

Make someone happy

Eat what I liked for a day

Improve one thing about myself

Live in the house of my dreams

Visit a planet

Have my own private robot

38 If I Could

IF I COULD 4

Choose one of the following and write about a day in your life:

If I could . . .

Rule Earth for a year

Be captain of a sailing ship

Sit high up in a tree for a day

Be a whale

Be any animal I choose for a day

Be a circus clown

Be a famous chef

Be a famous explorer

Be a famous writer

Invent a new game

Be famous for one thing

Be three metres tall

Remember everything

If I Could 39

MYRIAD OF MIXES 1

Starting from the left, choose aword from each list to make a title.Then write an entertaining storybased on that title.

Additional challenges:• Can you write the story as a play script?

OR• Can you think of a surprise ending?

Whose Adjective 1 Adjective 2 Object

Grandma’s Wonderful Silver Coin

Dr Greg’s Unique Bronze Trophy

Mrs Mayberry’s Unusual Antique Watch

Jimmy Wilson’s Tiny Gold Dish

40 Myriad of Mixes

MYRIAD OF MIXES 2

Write an entertaining story by first obtaining (using your three initials)the setting, the subject and a featured object from the grid below.

Myfirstinitial

Setting Mymiddleinitial

Whom Mylastinitial

Object

A In a dingy basement A Mr Smith A an antiquegrandfather clock

B Standing in a publicpark

B Professor Blumen-feld’s spoilt niece

B a huge yellowmushroom

C Out at sea in afurious storm

C Father Christmas C a small candle

D On my uncle’sdairy farm

D Mr and Mrs Pope D an invisiblehand-held alarm

E Zooming throughspace

E Samuel Welstead E a mouse trap

F In the city atlunchtime

F The village postman F a water pistol

G In the middle of alovely meadow

G Tiny Mrs Peters G a shiny new pen

H At the shoppingcentre

H Lazy Bob H a broken stapler

I Inside a crater on themoon

I Wendy the bookworm I a tiny radio

J In a dirty, smelly laneat night

J Mrs Webster’s baby J a small silver key

K In a bakery K Mary-Jane and herfriend Kate

K an extremelyold coin

L On the east side ofan erupting volcano

L Old Grumble Bones L a powerful torch

M Floating on a cloud M Max the muscleman M a small wooden boxN In the florist shop N Harry the world’s

fastest manN a huge black ball

O In a nuclear-poweredsubmarine

O Laughing Larry O a smart new watch

P On a tropical island P Jack Stokes, therichest boy in town

P a pair of spectacles

Q At the local library Q Bozo the clown Q a tiny pebbleR At the annual fair R Gracey Gordon, the

girl with golden hairR a wallet stuffed

with moneyS Rowing a canoe on

the lakeS Scarlet the sculptor S a large red button

T In the bathroom T Pinnochio T a set of false teethU Sitting at my school

deskU Wenzel, the

wonderful wizardU a broken shoe

V On one of the ridesin Disneyland

V Prunella thePrincess

V a floppy disk

W In the Swiss Alps W Oscar, the crazyscientist

W a treasure chest

X Down by the river X Johnny the dustman X a ball of woolY On an aeroplane Y Susie the star Y a hard-to-read mapZ Climbing up a

mountainZ Mr and Mrs Potts Z a magic potion

Myriad of Mixes 41

STICKY SITUATIONS 1

Continue one of these stories,giving it a happy ending.

Peanut ButteredI wish Dad wouldn’t fool around with his pointless inventions! His amazingShrink Machine was just the last straw. Now look at me. My horrible littlebrother Rodney has put me inside a jar of peanut butter. What can I do?

The BananaI’m a banana. I don’t mind being peeled and then eaten in the usual way. It’sjust the thought of being cut up into little pieces. I’m lying helplessly in aglass bowl on a kitchen counter top. Oh, no, here she comes . . . with a sharpknife. She picks me up in her left hand and begins to peel me. What can I do?

The Ferris WheelI’m a ferris wheel. I love giving people rides, especially children. Now myowners are saying I’m too old and they’re talking about dismantling me andsending me to the scrap heap. And now it looks like my time has come . . . Ican see two men walking towards me; each is carrying a large spanner.

Nightie FrightI just went outside to check on Fido the dog, who was howling. But the doorslammed shut on me. Now I can’t get back inside, and no one’s at home. HereI am, in the back garden, wearing nothing but my nightie!

42 Sticky Situations

STICKY SITUATIONS 2

Imagine you’re in one of the situations below. Write the story of how youmiraculously get to safety. Give your story a suitable title.

Half-way through a bungeejump, you see two starving lions

waiting at the bottom.

Stranded on top of a skyscraper inthe middle of an earthquake.

In a swamp with starvingcrocodiles.

On an expedition looking at atomb of a mummy. The mummy

breaks through the lid.In a glass dome two kilometresunder the sea when the glass

starts to crack.

Climbing a mountain withnothing to hang on to. Your

rope starts to break.In a space station with otherswhen the oxygen starts to

run out.

In a rubber dinghy in the middleof the Pacific Ocean. A shark is

next to the dinghy and thedinghy is losing air.Stranded in the middle of a

blistering hot desert with nowater to drink.

Stuck in the crater of a volcanothat is about to erupt.Walking in the desert. Your

camels have run off with all thefood and water supplies.

Flying across the Atlantic Oceanin a light aircraft, your pilot

suddenly collapses at the wheel.Swimming in the ocean, amassive wave pulls you out to sea.

Sticky Situations 43

TANTALISING TITLES 1

Choose any title and write anentertaining story.

The Time Machine

Crocodile! My Narrow Escape

The Pair of Shoes withTalking Tongues

The Girl who Tamed a Tiger

The Juggling Spider

Anaconda Attack

House of Treasures

Barking Frogs andCroaking Dogs

Bound for Jupiter

The Horse that Didn’tBelong Anywhere

The Plant that Grew and Grewand Grew

Invasion of the Giant Insects

Simone’s Secret Hideaway

The Sneeze that Caused aTidal Wave

44 Tantalising Titles


Choose any title and write an entertaining story.

Revenge of the Creepy Crawlies

Oasis in the Desert

Timothy’s Amazing Telescope

Miraculous Matthew’s Mission

Danny and the Valleyof Mysteries

Lost in a Cave

Molly’s Mysterious Message

Lonely Mr Smithers

Planet out of Control

My Friend Alf

My Very Embarrassing Brother

Mystery of the White Pony

Winston’s Woeful Wednesday

The Magician

My Unforgettable Dream

The Amazing Dancing Shoes

Jealous Julia

The Wonderful World of Walterthe Wizard

Tantalising Titles 45


Choose any title and write anentertaining story.

The Wicked Witch fromWimbledon

Riddle of the Lost City

The Day the Sun Fell out ofthe Sky

Runaway Bus!

Ride on an Iceberg

The Elephant that Lost its Trunk

The Boy who Lived in a Tree

The Sad Snowman

The Day the HeadmasterTrod in My Chewing Gum

The Bouncy Bubble that No-oneCould Burst

Sensational Sally’s Super Saturday

Revenge of the Million Fleas

Robert’s Remarkable Recipe

Sarah’s Grandfather Clock

46 Tantalising Titles


Choose any title and write an entertaining story.

Mystery of theNever-ending Train

The Bowling Giraffe

The Boy who could Read Minds

The Woman Who Sneezed andBlew Down Houses

The Man with the MagicWalking Stick

Ulysses, the Magnificent Unicorn

The Kind-Hearted Gorilla

Amazon Adventure

The Woman with Laser Eyes

Mandy’s Magic Mirror

The Worst Day of My Life

The Golden Swan

The Little Old Man and hisPet Tiger

The Winged Dog

The Little Old Lady with GreenSpiky Hair

The Star that couldn’t Shine

The Silver Seal

Drums in the Night

Tantalising Titles 47

PERKY PETS 1

Choose an idea and write a storyfrom a pet’s point of view.

The Leaking BowlMy name is Goldie the Goldfish. I have a problem. My bowl is leaking. Thelittle boy who owns me thinks he fixed it by putting plasters on the bowl. Butit’s still leaking . . .

Sylvia the SnakeWhy do people find us snakes frightening? We just want the quiet life – up atree or down a hole. But even when a little boy bought me and I found myselfa ‘pet’ – I was forever giving someone a shock. Here’s how . . .

The Cunning CatHi, I’m Chloe the Cat. My humans think they control me. But actually Icontrol them. Want to know how?

Terry the Troublesome TerrierMy name is Terry. I’m a terrier. I’m fast. I’m excitable. I’m . . . always gettinginto trouble. Let me tell you about it.

Horace the High-spirited HorseI’m Horace the Horse. I belong to a riding school. The trouble is, I don’t likeriders. They’re too nervous, or too confident, or too noisy, or too silent. I liketo have fun with them. Let me tell you how.

Percy the ParrotI’m Percy. I can talk not just parrot talk – human talk! And I have great funadding my bit to human conversations I overhear. I’ll give you someexamples.

48 Perky Pets

PERKY PETS 2

Choose an idea and write a story from a pet’s point of view.

A guard dog who’s afraid of mice

A cat who thinks her ownersare strange

A farm boy who always goesfishing with his pet goat

A bird who shares secretswith the family cat

A girl who rides across thecountry on her horse

A woman who puts her babyelephant to bed each night

A pirate’s parrot

A pet-shop owner who talks tothe animals about the customers

A woman whose best friend isher pet giraffe

A girl whose pet cat is in lovewith a dog

A boy whose dog has anamazing appetite

A girl who takes her pet pig toschool one day

A woman who lives with 100 cats

Additional challenge:Write the story from the owner’s

point of view

Perky Pets 49

GHOSTLY, GHOULISHAND GHASTLY 1

Write a story about a graveyard atmidnight. Here are some storyideas.

The Friendly GhostA family of ghosts lives in the graveyard. One of the young ghosts likeshumans and wants to be their friend. This ghost doesn’t like scaring people.However . . .

Dare ScareThree children have dared one another to spend the night in the graveyard.What they don’t know is that another friend is dressed up as a ghost, and he’scoming too.

Ghost PartyIt’s midnight on Halloween. All the ghosts come out to play. Heaven helpany mortal who comes by.

‘Rob, is that you?’Tom is celebrating his ninth birthday by camping in a tent down at the oldgraveyard with two of his best friends. They begin to tell ghost stories.Suddenly, something rustles in the bushes. Has one of the ghosts come tohaunt the boys, or is it just Tom’s older brother, Rob?

Additional challenges:• Create an eerie atmosphere, with slow-moving mist.• There is the crack of lightning and the rumble of thunder.• There is a hooting owl.

50 Ghostly, Ghoulish and Ghastly

GHOSTLY, GHOULISHAND GHASTLY 2

Write a story entitled Ghoulish Gourmet.

Additional challenges:• The ghosts are planning a boo-b-que.• Give all the food ghostly names. Suggestions are: RIP tomb-atoes,

spirit soup, graveyard gravy, screeches of sauce, spooky spices,clanging cloves, ghosts’ roast on toast, howls of herbs, horrorhamburgers, scary stew, frightening fritters.

• The story sequence is: organising the boo-b-que, the boo-b-que itselfand then the ghosts returning to their homes in the villagegraveyard.

• If you decide to single out a few characters in your story give themghostly names.

OR

Write a story entitled Revenge of the Sorrowful Spook.

Additional challenges:• The sorrowful spook has to get revenge on someone.• No violence please – just lots of scaring.• Can you tell the story so that it ends with a surprise?• What happened to the sorrowful spook to make him/her so sad?

Ghostly, Ghoulish and Ghastly 51

SEA AND SKY 1

Choose one of these and writethe story.

Eat MeYou are enjoying your adventure in a hot-air balloon when suddenly you getblown off course and land on an island inhabited by cannibals.

Fishy FriendsOllie the Octopus and Sharon the Squid form a romantic attachment. Theirfamilies don’t approve and so they decide to elope.

Here in the SphereYou are a scientist living at the bottom of the sea in a glass sphere. You arestudying fish and marine plants. All goes well until one day you lose contactwith the surface. What happens next?

Robinson CarusoYou are the only survivor of a shipwreck. You find yourself on a desertedisland. However, there’s plenty of plant and animal life. What will you dowhile you wait to be rescued?

Castle in the CloudsSarah spends hours looking through her telescope up into the clouds. Oneday, she discovers that there is a castle amongst the clouds. Who lives there?How can Sarah fly up there to find out?

Eagle EyeMervin is a very small boy who owns a very big pet eagle. Every night, theeagle lets Mervin climb onto its back so they can fly away into the night forexciting adventures.

52 Sea and Sky

SEA AND SKY 2

Earthquake!A powerful earthquake triggers a massive tidal wave off the coast of Peru. Asthe tsunami races towards the mainland, millions flee to the hills and moun-tains. Then something miraculous happens.

Decide what happens and then tell the whole story.

Possible Scenarios:• A superhero saves the day.• Another earthquake sends shockwaves in the opposite direction,

neutralising the tsunami.

OR

Fly like a BirdYour uncle Ned invented a ‘Birdy Backpack’. When you strap it on you canfly like a bird. It’s perfectly safe. Now, what will you do with it?

Additional challenges:• The Birdy Backpack has only one fault Uncle Ned didn’t tell you

about.• Your Mum hears about the Birdy Backpack and sets out to bring you

down to earth.• Mike Mantle, the meanest boy at school, sees you flying with the

backpack and tries everything he can to steal it from you.• Uncle Ned was so happy with his flying backpack idea that he has

invented a ‘Fishy Backpack’ that lets you swim and breatheunderwater!

Sea and Sky 53

DELIGHTFULAND DELICIOUSDELICACIES 1

A Fantastic Food FindWrite a story about the time you found a diamond wedding ring in some-thing you were eating. The ring has a telephone number engraved inside andyou receive a £1,000,000 reward from its grateful and very wealthy owner.

Additional challenges:• Provide a graphic description of your meal, e.g.The pizza looked

delicious, with a covering of strips of ham, a ring of juicy pineapple pieces,mouth-watering olives, fresh mushrooms, bright green peppers and fleshytomato.

• Give a good description (physical and character) of the ring’s owner.

OR

The Chocolate FunparkWillie Wonka has opened a Chocolate Funpark – like Disneyland – and youhave just received an invitation to visit.

Additional challenges:• Can you find a way to ‘sample’ all the rides?• At the end – do you love chocolate more, or have you given it up for

life?• Describe the funpark in detail – what does it look like? Taste like?

Smell like? Sound like? Feel like?

54 Delightful and Delicious Delicacies

DELIGHTFULAND DELICIOUSDELICACIES 2

Birthday BanquetCheri the Chef is asked to prepare a sumptuous meal for you and your familyand relatives, a total of 32 people. As it’s your birthday you get to decide themenu. Tell the story of how Cheri, after numerous frustrations, finally man-ages to prepare all the courses in time for the 1 o’clock feast.

Additional challenges:• Begin with this sentence: I tell Cheri that for the starter I would like

baby prawns dipped in Italian sauce.• Give Cheri clear instructions, e.g. Then I tell her that for dessert I’d like

a huge cake with 2 cm of cream in the middle and a layer of banana icing ontop.

• Include this sentence or something like it: Cheri begins to panic andraces to the kitchen to check her supplies of potatoes, almost tripping over achair on the way.

OR

The WonderbarYou have just invented a marvellous new edible delicacy that combines thetaste of chocolate, the fizz of lemonade, the aroma of strawberry jam and thefeel of ice-cream. You call it the ‘Wonderbar’. Write an advert for it, then tellthe story of how it conquered the world.

Additional challenges:• It comes in strange shapes and sizes.• It is a health food as well.• The Wonderbar is so successful that you launch into a wide range of

related products, such as Wondersludge (a smoothie) andWondercups (lunchbox-sized cup cakes).

• A dentist claims the Wonder products cause tooth decay. You have toprove him wrong.

Delightful and Delicious Delicacies 55

WORLD OF WIZARDRY,WICKED WITCHESAND MAGIC 1

Choose a title and write a story fullof action, mystery, spooks andsurprises.

Sam’s Amazing Crystal Ball

The Witch of Cliff-topLighthouse

The Dungeon of Rats

The Strange Rat-Cat ofMisty Hollow

Bats, Owls and other Creaturesof the Night

Wally, the Wand-less Wizard

Penelope’s Potion

Sinister Susan and herSeven Secret Spells

Old Mrs Haggard and herWicked Brew

The Castle on Magic Mountain

56 World of Wizardry, Wicked Witches and Magic

WORLD OF WIZARDRY,WICKED WITCHESAND MAGIC 2

Choose a title and write a story full of action, mystery, spooks and surprises.

The Valley of Bats

Walter the Wand Maker

Simon’s Secret Spell

The Land of the Invisible People

The Black Cat of Oldham Castle

The Revenge of the Rats

Susannah and the Spell thatSaved the World

Cassie and the EternallyBoiling Cauldron

The Wizard of Golem Gorge

Olivia’s Owl

Norse, the Jet Black Horse

Wizz Fizz, the LittleLearning Witch

The Cat with NineHundred Lives

World of Wizardry, Wicked Witches and Magic 57

FAIRIES ANDFANTASIES 1

Write a story based on one of theideas below.

Fairy FriendsThere are fairies at the bottom of the garden. And they are your friends. Tellof your adventures together.

Ursula and her UnicornUrsula was walking in the forest one day when she came upon a unicorn. Theunicorn was in trouble, so Ursula helped it out. It became her very goodfriend. What happened next?

O’Leary the LeprechaunOn your visit to Ireland, you came upon a leprechaun. You know the story –leprechauns know the way to a hidden pot of gold. Well, what happened?

Dudley the DragonEveryone is scared of dragons – but you. That’s because your dragon is asweetie. His name is Dudley – and he flies.

Emmeline the Elf and Misty MoonlightEmmeline is a tiny elf who lives in a hollow toadstool in the middle of anenchanted forest. Her best friend is her fairy horse, Misty Moonlight.Together, they help save the enchanted forest from being cut to the ground.

When the World fell AsleepAsher woke up in her normal bed, in a normal town and got ready for anormal day at school. Little did she know that she would be the only personawake. The whole world had fallen asleep.

58 Fairies and Fantasies

FAIRIES ANDFANTASIES 2

Write a story based on one of the ideas below.

Toy TalkYou wake up one night to the sound of whispering. You open one eye. Thetoys are talking to one another. What do they say?

ThumbelinaIn the garden is a flower. In the flower is a tiny person. Her name isThumbelina.

Rumpelstiltskin’s Really Nice BrotherThe miller’s daughter tricked Rumpelstiltskin, by finding out his name.Thank goodness, because he was a real meanie. But his brother, Rory, is alovely little gnome. Tell the story of the help he gave another, much nicer,girl.

Norman the GnomeGnomes live in underground houses. They only come out at night. Onegnome, called Norman, is accident prone. He is often nearly caught by acurious human. Tell the story of one of Norman’s near misses.

Fidget FairyFidget is a little fairy who just can’t sit still. At fairy school, she fidgets, athome she fidgets and even when she’s asleep she fidgets. One afternoon,Fidget was out in the grassy clearing in the middle of the forest, bouncingaround as usual, when a huge, sniffing dog came running up behind her.Fidget flew into a hollow stump but the dog came sniffing after her. Will herfidgeting ways get her in trouble?

Fireflies GaloreIt is a beautiful, summery night and you are lying on your trampoline lookingup at the sky. Suddenly, little flashes of light rush past your eyes. It is a flockof fireflies. You jump up and follow them. Where do you end up?

Fairies and Fantasies 59

MARVELLOUSMUSIC 1

Write a great story with one ofthese titles.

Gavin’s Guitar

The Baby who played the Piano

Mitch and the Missing Melody

Mr Bertram and hisBrilliant Band

The Singer who Lost her Voice

Sara and the Soothing Harp

Little Joe and theDouble Bass

The Golden Sounds ofVicky’s Violin

Abbey, the Girl with theGolden Flute

Robert’s Trombone

Kerrie’s Keyboard

60 Marvellous Music

MARVELLOUSMUSIC 2

Write a great story with one of these titles.

The Crazy Conductorof Colchester

Gayle and the Golden Trumpet

The Choir that Conqueredthe World

The Lost Violin

Curious Chris and theRed Clarinet

The Piano that Played by Itself

The Humming Blade of Grass

Fiona, the Formidable Flautist

Dora’s Darstardly Drum Kit

Olga’s ’Orrible Oboe

Ben’s Banjo

Zelda’s Xylophone

The Bluesy Bass Guitar

Marvellous Music 61

JOURNEYS FARAND WIDE 1

Here are some titles for anadventure story. Choose one andwrite the story as a first personaccount (you are the centralcharacter).

Sailing on the High Seas

Mission to Pluto

Marty’s Supersonic Experience

Mountain Adventure

Fiona’s Journey to Freedom

Voyage to the South Pole

Journey through the Lost Worldof Altantis

Desert Trek

Additional challenges:• Describe how you prepared for your trip.• Who went with you?• Include a near mishap (e.g. a violent storm, accident, etc.).• Who or what did you encounter on your journey?• What supplies did you take?• Were you in radio contact with anyone?• Did you need to take special clothing?• What, if anything, did you learn?

62 Journeys Far and Wide

JOURNEYS FARAND WIDE 2

Here are some titles for an adventure story. Choose one and write thestory as a first person account (you are the central character).

Living in the Treetops

Journey to the Bottom of the Sea

African Jungle Adventure

On Safari

Around the World in aHot-air Balloon

Admirable Adam’sAmazonian Adventure

Mountain Explorer

Tunnelling into the Earth’s Core

Trip to the Edge of the Universe

Additional challenges:• Describe how you prepared for your trip.• Who went with you?• What supplies did you take?• Did you need to take special clothing?• Were you in radio contact with anyone?• Include a near mishap (e.g. violent storm, accident, etc.).• Who or what did you encounter on your journey?• What did you learn?

Journeys Far and Wide 63

SENSATIONALSETTINGS 1Create a story to go with one ofthese settings.

In a Dream

A Forbidden Forest of Batsand Owls

Under a Mushroom

The Desert at Sunrise

A Spider’s Web

Riding a Huge Wave in Hawaii

At a Festival

At a Fair

At the Airport

A Quiet Library

At a Carnival

At the Zoo

A Hidden Valley

At the Circus

At the Bottom of a Waterfall

On an Iceberg

On a Cloud

In the Land of Giants

Amongst the Stars

A School of Secrets

64 Sensational Settings

SENSATIONAL SETTINGS 2

Create a story to go with one of these settings.

In the Bathroom

At the Post Office

At the Railway Station

In the Deep Dark Jungle duringthe Middle of the Night

On my Bike

On the Rocks

On a Theatre Stage

In the Rain

On the Surface of the Moon

On a Jetty

In the Dark Forest

Under a Tree

In a Zooming Rocket

In my Drawer

In an Office

In a Time Machine

In a Black Cave on the Bottomof the Sea

In the Emperor’s Palace

At a Barbecue

In a Busy City

On a Speeding Train

1,000 Metres Deep Underwaterwith the Sea Creatures

On Granddad’s Farm

In a Helicopter

Near a Quiet Stream

In a Very Tall Tree

Sensational Settings 65

SENSATIONALSETTINGS 3

Create a story to go with one ofthese settings.

In a Dark Dungeon

On a Shaky Bridge

In the Garden

On a Green Leaf

Riding on a Woolly Mammothin the Ice Age

Under my Bed

In the Country

Sliding on a Blood Cell insidea Human Body

At the Butcher’s

At a Shopping Centre

In a Skyscraper

In a Haunted House

In a Restaurant

On a Horse

On an Island

Near the North Pole

In a Church, Temple or Mosque

Floating on an Iceberg

At the Swimming Pool

In a Submarine

In a Very Old House

At the Park

66 Sensational Settings

SENSATIONAL SETTINGS 4

Create a story to go with one of these settings.

In a Dark and Dingy Basement

Bungee Jumping

In a Speed Boat

Under a Parachute

In a Tree House

Inside a Crystal Ball

At a Scary Movie

In a Beehive

At a Fancy Dress Party

At Grandma’s House

In a Dinosaur Park

At Halloween

In Hospital

Up in the Attic

At a Cemetery

In a Runaway Car

In the Laundry

In an Igloo

In a Lion’s Den

In the Titanic at the Bottomof the Sea

Looking at an Egyptian Pyramid

Additional challenges:• Combine two or more settings in one story.• Write the story as a play.• Write the story as a news report.• Draw the setting and write the story as notes on various parts of a

picture.

Sensational Settings 67

FEARLESS FRIENDSAND FORMIDABLEFOES 1

Scary!Try to think of the most fearsome person or animal you can. This person/animal may be real or fictitious. Now think up a character who rescuesyou from this fearsome foe. Tell the whole story.

Additional challenges:• Begin with a peaceful setting.• Gradually change the mood from peaceful to eerie/uncertain.• Introduce your enemy, suddenly and dramatically.• You soon find yourself in a perilous predicament.• Your mystery friend comes to your aid.

OR

Humorous HorrorTake a scary book or movie you have seen and rewrite it as comedy. Youmight change the villains to softies, or mix different stories together, orcreate jokes and puns based on horror.

68 Fearless Friends and Formidable Foes

FEARLESS FRIENDSAND FORMIDABLEFOES 2

Choose one of the titles below. Then write a story about your encounterwith the title’s subject.

The Crocodile of Misty Swamp

The Face at the Window

The Glob from GolemStreet Drain

The Night I met a Werewolf

The Ghost of Nether Valley

The Starving Pack of Wolves

The Cannibals of Kalimantan

Mike the Murderous Pirate

Dracula Lives!

The Thing under My Bed

Boogyman Goes Beserk

The Green Goop from the DarkUnderground Basement

Dr Evil Lurks in the Shadows ofyour Cupboard

Fearless Friends and Formidable Foes 69

SLEEPING ANDDREAMING 1

Write an amusing story about anyone of these:

A girl who sleeps in a tree

A teacher who sleeps in class

A dream that turns out tobe reality

A woman who sleeps with a fullygrown python on her bed

A man whose snoring wakes upthe next town

A boy who slept for two years

A man who sleep-walksthrough the city

A girl who sleeps with hereyes open

A dream that is a prophecy

When I dreamt that I was an ant

A boy who sleeps standing up

70 Sleeping and Dreaming

SLEEPING ANDDREAMING 2

Write an amusing story about any one of these:

Mrs Parker, who dreamt shewas a baby

A boy who dreamt he discovereda treasure chest

A teacher who dreamt she hadthe world’s worst class

A boy who dreams he isFather Christmas

A woman who dreamt she wasstealing from supermarket

shelves

A girl who dreams she isa supermodel

A man who dreamt he wastrapped in the jaws of a

Tyrannosaurus Rex

A girl who dreams she is a horse

A boy who dreams he is a dog

Mr Simpson, who dreamt he wasan acrobat

The boy who was afraid togo to sleep

Mrs Baxter’s case of sleep-talking

Boris, the baby who sleptand slept

Sleeping and Dreaming 71

WONDERFUL WORLDOF SCIENCE 1

Write a story based on one ofthese ideas:

Voyage to the Centre of the BodyYou and your fellow scientists are on board a miniature submarine sent tofix a problem in an important person’s body. Tell the story.

OR

What if . . .?• What if people could be cloned?• What if time travel was really possible?• What if someone successfully developed ‘teleporting’ (‘Beam me up,

Scottie’)• What if someone developed a miracle cure for all diseases?• What if you could buy invisibility paint?• What if lost memories could be read from the brain like a movie?• What if a scientist developed a way to breed dogs that walk on two

legs?• What if it was discovered that humans could fly by using pure

concentration?• What if two people had a conversation in their dreams that they both

remembered when they woke?

72 Wonderful World of Science

WONDERFUL WORLDOF SCIENCE 2

Write a story with one of these titles:

William the Weatherman

Mile’s Magnificent Magnet

Elizabeth’s Exciting Experiment

Gavin and the ZeroGravity Machine

Geoff, the Genius Geologist

The Incredible World ofSilvester the Scientist

Katie’s CuriousChemical Concoction

Sally and herPowerful Microscope

Brittney, the Biologist

Albert’s Daring Experiment andits Remarkable Outcome

Sebastian’s Scientific Secret

Diana’s Dinosaur Discovery

Elvin, the Electronics Whiz

Phil, the Fabulous Physicist

Wonderful World of Science 73

MYTHS ANDMYSTERIES 1

Write a wonderful story entitledValley of the Unicorns.

Additional challenges:• Include a human character who accidentally discovers the hidden

valley of unicorns.• Have one unicorn who is the leader of the herd.• Your story tells how the unicorns save the person from the peril of an

an impending avalanche.• The grateful person befriends the unicorns and, accompanied by a

friend, visits them often, being careful to keep the whereabouts oftheir valley a secret.

OR

Write any one of the following characters into a completely new story:

• Hercules • Sir Lancelot• Robin Hood • William Tell• King Arthur • The Bogeyman• Joan of Arc • Tinkerbell

74 Myths and Mysteries

MYTHS ANDMYSTERIES 2

Sometime, somewhere, someone had a dream.Write the story of that dream after choosing from one of these titles.

Little Lonnie, theGreen Leprechaun

Danny finds the Dragon’s Lair

Cave of the Cyclops

Howl of the Werewolf

Miriam, the GoldenHaired Mermaid

The Knight with the Silver Sword

The Phoenix and the Lost Cityof Nivarna

The Fairy King

Goblins for Hire

The Elf and the Crystal

Additional challenges:• At the end, link the dream to something real in your life (e.g. a toy

or memory).• Do not finish with: ‘It was all a dream.’

Myths and Mysteries 75

A FINAL FEW

Make a Myth• How did the ostrich come to walk instead of fly?• Why do moles live in holes?• Why does a cockatoo have a crest that shoots up like a flag?

Provide the answers to questions like these in story form.

Fracture a Fairy Tale• What would happen if Goldilocks made friends with the bears?• Or if the wolf was scared of Red Riding Hood?• Or if you mixed two completely different fairy tales together?

Mangle a MovieEveryone likes movie stories. Take one that was so bad it made you laugh,and rearrange it or exaggerate it to make fun of it.

Hypothetical History• What if the Captain of the Titanic had seen the iceberg earlier?• What if Captain Cook had missed Australia?• What if the dinosaurs had not become extinct?

Tell the story.

76 A Final Few

1001 Brilliant Writing Ideas - ChercheInfo

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